These brutal heat waves aren't 'just summer'

+ a sneaky way to manipulate scientific citations US Edition - Today's top story: Extreme heat waves broiling the US in 2024 aren't normal: How climate change is heating up weather around the world [View in browser]( US Edition | 10 July 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Almost every day so far this summer, some part of the U.S. has been roasting in brutal and sometimes lethal heat. California’s Central Valley has had highs in the 100s since the beginning of July. Las Vegas hit 120 degrees. In Oregon, where many homes don’t have air conditioning, officials have reported at least seven suspected heat-related deaths in the past few days. The Eastern half of the U.S., which started summer under a heat dome, is in for more scorching heat next week. Yes, heat waves happen, but the severity and extent of the heat waves striking around the world in 2024 are “[not ‘just summer,’](” write UMass-Lowell climate scientist Mathew Barlow and meteorologist Jeffrey Basara. They explain what climate change has to do with Earth’s setting new monthly temperature records every month for the past year – and why exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) isn’t the same as breaking the Paris climate agreement. They also take a look at what humanity is doing about it. Also in this week’s science and tech news: - [Wildfire smoke is more deadly than the flames]( - [Transparency troubles for online political ads]( - [A baby’s gender isn’t revealed by the color of a cake]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor Visitors walk past a sign reading ‘Stop: Extreme Heat Danger’ in Death Valley National Park during a heat wave on July 7, 2024. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images [Extreme heat waves broiling the US in 2024 aren’t normal: How climate change is heating up weather around the world]( Mathew Barlow, UMass Lowell; Jeffrey Basara, UMass Lowell Global temperatures have averaged at least 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than preindustrial times for over a year. Two scientists explain what that means and what humanity can do. Complex space systems like the International Space Station could be vulnerable to hackers. NASA [To guard against cyberattacks in space, researchers ask ‘what if?’]( Patrick Lin, California Polytechnic State University Sabotaged space stations, falsified space probe data and faked alien contact are just a few of the scenarios a report on space cybersecurity outlines. Many Americans are not getting the mental health care they need. SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images [Navigating mental health treatment options can be overwhelming – a clinical psychologist explains why it’s worth the effort]( Bryan Cochran, University of Montana Knowing which kind of provider to see and how to access help can be half the battle. [Where does beach sand come from?]( David R. Montgomery, University of Washington Sand may seem abundant when your toes are buried in it, but it’s becoming scarce along many coastlines around the world. [Wildfire smoke linked to thousands of premature deaths every year in California alone]( Rachel Connolly, University of California, Los Angeles; Michael Jerrett, University of California, Los Angeles Breathing wildfire smoke can cut years off people’s lives. As fires become more frequent in a warming world, smoke is leading to a public health crisis. [Unregulated online political ads pose a threat to democracy]( Steven Caplan, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Political ad transparency – who’s paying for ads and whether candidates stand behind them – is well-regulated for TV and radio. Online, not so much. [Why do some planets have moons? A physics expert explains why Earth has only one moon while other planets have hundreds]( Nicole Granucci, Quinnipiac University It’s not a competition, but if it were, Saturn would be winning. - [When scientific citations go rogue: Uncovering ‘sneaked references’]( Lonni Besançon, Linköping University; Guillaume Cabanac, Institut de Recherche en Informatique de Toulouse Scholars have long measured the impact of a paper by counting the number of times other scientific articles cite it. Researchers have just detected a new kind of citation fraud. - [Genetic testing cannot reveal the gender of your baby − two genetic counselors explain the complexities of sex and gender]( Maggie Ruderman, Boston University; Kimberly Zayhowski, Boston University Cell-free DNA prenatal screening, sometimes called ‘the gender test,’ cannot determine gender because gender is more than just genes and genitals. - [Can humanity address climate change without believing it? Medical history suggests it is possible]( Ron Barrett, Macalester College In the 19th century, many doctors might not have believed germ theory, but they switched to using protective methods anyway for a simple reason. - [Dig safely when building sandcastles and tunnels this summer – collapsing sand holes can cause suffocation and even death]( - [Toxoplasma is a common parasite that causes birth defects – but the US doesn’t screen for it during pregnancy]( - [Disability community has long wrestled with ‘helpful’ technologies – lessons for everyone in dealing with AI]( - [Stricter monitoring of tween and teen internet use may not always be better]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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